Summary
In this frenetic Century Comedy, the domestic sphere is upended by the arrival of a terpsichorean obsession. Minnie, a woman whose social standing is jeopardized by her inability to master the 'shimmy,' undergoes a bizarre pedagogical transformation through a mail-order manual and the visceral application of ice. This newly acquired rhythmic prowess leads to a total abdication of her maternal and agricultural responsibilities, forcing her husband, Phil, into a state of emasculated domesticity—tending to infants and poultry alike. The precarious balance of this household is further destabilized by the arrival of a traveling theatrical troupe at the hotel Minnie manages. A predatory 'vamp' within the troupe targets the vulnerable Phil, initiating a clandestine dalliance. The narrative’s moral equilibrium is maintained solely by Brownie, a canine of preternatural intelligence, who serves as a domestic sentinel. Through a series of surveillant maneuvers, Brownie exposes the husband’s infidelity, orchestrates a physical confrontation under a bed, and ultimately triggers a chaotic, sausage-fueled pursuit that serves as a kinetic climax to this satirical exploration of early 20th-century fads and marital frailty.
Synopsis
Everybody was talking about poor Minnie because she couldn't shimmies. So poor Minnie buys a book that guarantees to teach you how to shimmy. She puts a piece of ice down her back and lo and behold she is an expert at "it". Hubby has to do all the k.p. work, mind the baby, feed the cows and chickens and everything while wifey shimmies. The yearly train arrives, bringing with it a theatrical troupe,who stop at the hotel conducted by Minnie. The vamp of the troupe, looses no time in winning the affections of "hubby", but is foiled by "Bob" the clever dog, who always has his mistress's interest at heart. He pulls Minnie by her skirts into the room where the vamp and hubby are making love. Hubby disappears under the bed but "Bob" goes after him and forces him out. "Bobby" does some clever work; he minds the baby, and is general housemaid in the hotel. He discovers hubby and the vamp making love under the table with their feet. He bites Hubby's foot. Hubby accuses his neighbor of stabbing him in the leg with a fork. An argument follows, during which "Bob" gets away with the sausages. Everybody chases "Bob", and he leads them a lively chase.
Review Excerpt
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The Terpsichorean Catalyst and the Domestic Inversion
To understand the sheer kinetic absurdity of Brownie's Doggone Tricks, one must first grasp the cultural earthquake that was the 'shimmy' in the late 1910s. This was not merely a dance; it was a symptom of a shifting social paradigm. In this film, Minnie—portrayed with a delightful, mugging intensity by Dot Farley—becomes the vessel for this cultural anxiety. Her initial failure to shimmy is presented as a profound social handicap, a lack ..."
